This substance of this Obama’s opposition to a ban on gay marriage is underwhelming, but the message that it conveys is encouraging, more than. The substance is this:
Obama aides emphasized he has opposed similar state bans in the past. They said the Illinois senator does not support gay marriage, but believes that federal and state constitutional amendments banning gay marriage can also threaten rights that couples have under civil unions and domestic partnerships, which Obama supports.
Obama quietly announced his stance in a statement in a letter to the Toklas club, a California gay rights group.
It’s nothing to hoot about, for sure. But what about the message?
… the Illinois senator said “I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states.”
… His position comes as a shift for Democrats, as 2004 presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry backed amendments to ban gay marriage in some of the states in which he campaigned.
The fact is that most people will take Obama’s stance in the simplest way possible: Obama is against marriage bans. This is a good thing. No, it’s a great thing.
Last 5 posts by Bob Funk
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